Here it is - the sequel! Wooaah! Hooray!
Enjoy!
Chapter One
Bella
After a year already, Bella still mourned over Emmett's death.
She had reluctantly continued attending school, but nothing was the same. Her old friends barely ever talked to her, and every lunch break she sat on the farthest table with Jasper and Alice.
As summer approached, their absence was more frequent as the weather got hotter and sunnier. On the days that they weren't there, Bella sat alone.
It was a sunny day when her friends Angela Weber and Jessica Stanley joined her at lunch.
"Hey." Jessica chirped. "How are you?" Angela took her place beside Bella, and Jessica across from her. Without waiting for an answer, she hurried on.
"I can't believe graduation is so soon! We've barely spent like any time together. Hey, so Bella, you never told us where you're going next year..." Bella tuned out as she continued babbling. Angela smiled apologetically and placed a hand on top of hers.
"Hey," she murmured over Jessica's prattle. "How are you?" She meant of course, how Bella was coping with Emmett's death. She managed a smile at her friend.
"I'm okay, thanks." She replied. Jessica's talking was cut off as another figure joined them at the table. The three girls looked up at Mike Newton, who sat next to Jessica.
"Hey guys." He greeted them. When his gaze drifted to Bella, he quickly looked away. Eric Yorkie also joined them, grinning as he slid into a seat next to Angela. The table was now...crowded. Everyone was talking at once – Eric telling his usual unfunny jokes, Angela talking about the finals, Mike and Jessica talking, and everyone occasionally starting a conversation with Bella.
When lunch ended, she left the lunch room in a better mood.
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Maybe she really could move on.
As soon as the bell rang in Bella's final class, students were up and exiting before she could stand. Mr. Ellisworthe, her math teacher, yelled over the many voices in the crowd of students to remember their homework.
Bella closed her textbook silently and stacked her pile of worksheets neatly before picking them all up and making her way through the empty classroom. When she reached the door, she heard familiar voices arguing. Curiously, Bella opened the classroom door and stepped out, gently closing it behind her.
The two voices became clearer, and she recognised Lauren Mallory and Jessica snapping at each other. A small crowd had gathered to watch, but most kept their distance. The day was officially over, so most people just wanted to go home.
"...you can't choose my friends, Lauren!" Jessica finished whatever she was yelling.
"No," Lauren snapped. "But I can choose mine. And maybe I don't want to be friends with you if you're hanging with certain people." Jessica gasped and glared at Lauren, who flipped her white-blonde hair behind her small shoulders.
"Bella is my friend. And if that's the way you treat friends, maybe I don't want to be yours, either!" Jessica yelled, stepping closer. Bella didn't like Lauren – she never did, but this fight had to stop. The two girls were now standing closer; Jessica used her height advantage to look down at Lauren spitefully. She lowered her voice.
"Listen, Jessica, you're making a huge mistake." Lauren growled. "You do not want me as an enemy." The entire time, Bella was standing frozen in the doorway of her classroom. The halls started to clear, and only a few lingered to watch their fight.
"Well I don't want you as a friend either!" Jessica snapped. "Bitch..." she continued in a whisper, barely loud enough for Bella to hear. Lauren gasped and stepped back before leaning forward again, putting the full force of her body into slapping Jessica. Luckily, the taller girl, with fast reflexes, was able to jump backwards in time. Lauren's hand flew through the air, and she was thrown off balance, tumbling forward into Jessica, who stepped out of the way.
Her foot lingered, however, and Lauren tripped as she tried to regain her balance, and fell face-first on the ground. Students laughed and some walked away. Jessica smirked and walked towards the exit. Everyone had left except Bella, who walked slowly over to Lauren, who had turned over and was now dusting off her blue jeans and brushing her hair behind her ears.
Bella approached her and offered Lauren a hand, but she simply glared and stood. She took a deep breath and walked down the empty hallway, boots clattering. Bella sighed and walked in the opposite direction to her locker.
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Charlie was surprised to see Bella in such a good mood.
Well, she wasn't immediately happy, but at least she wasn't sulking or shutting him out. She cooked dinner that night, much to Charlie's delight. There was no football came to watch that night, so he ate at the table and talked with Bella.
"So..." he began, breaking the awkward silence. "How was school?"
"Good, thanks." Bella nodded slowly and continued to eat. Silence fell again, and the only noise was the occasional car passing outside and Charlie slurping his spaghetti. The rest of the night passed peacefully – and for once, normally.
Bella's good mood continued as she crept up to bed, pulling out a much-read and abused copy of Wuthering Heights, and switched on the lamp at her bedside table.
At some point of reading, Bella felt herself falling asleep, and barely managed to fold up the corner of her page before she drifted into sleep.
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Yet again, she awoke screaming.
It seemed that not even a mildly pleasant day could cure her nightmares. She felt fear and pain wash through her from the dream, and her screams died down into sobs. This happened every morning. Everything would hit Bella at once - the fact that Emmett was...dead, and she'd never see him again. Not really. Pictures wouldn't do him justice.
She'd never hear his voice again - never be able to tell him that she loved him. She really did. Breaking up with him last year was only Bella being a coward. She was too afraid of the pain she thought she would experience if Emmett really did decide that he loved Rosalie more.
But those thoughts were gone now - in fact, she stopped doubting his love the moment he died to protect her.
Bella drew in a shaky breath, and felt a warm tear roll down her red cheek. She sniffed quietly and lay back down, closing her eyes to avoid any other tears escaping.
"Bella?" a small voice asked. Bella gasped and let her eyes fly open while quickly sitting up. At the foot of her bed, Alice stood, looking worried.
"Oh," Bella wiped a tear from her eye as it formed, smiling weakly. "Hey." she murmured. Alice opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. The motion was barely visible. She walked the two steps to Bella's side and sank down to sit beside her. She wrapped her arms around Bella.
"It's okay, Bella." Alice whispered as Bella let herself cry. Finally, she let all that she had been holding back from everyone else out. She sobbed miserably, leaning on Alice.
"Let it out," she murmured. Bella loved Alice as a sister - and never wanted to lose her. She realised that even vampires could die, and now worried more of Alice's safety. Alice cared for her as well, and that was something Bella would never take for granted.
Bella lost track of time, but when she finally stopped crying she looked up into Alice's large, gold eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered. Alice murmured something along the lines of 'it's okay', and hugged her tighter.
When Bella finally got out of bed, she staggered and reached out to her chair for support. When the dizziness passed, she slid into the chair and clicked a few times on the mouse. The old computer booted up and the screen finally turned on.
Bella's eyes shot to the bottom-right corner, where it showed the time.
"Eleven! Crap! I'm so late for school!" she cried, jumping out of her chair. Alice's hand landed gently on her shoulder.
"Relax, Bella. It's saturday today - that means no school." she assured her. Bella relaxed and sighed in relief. Alice grinned and laughed quietly. Bella smiled, too.
"So," Alice flopped onto her bed, sitting upright. "What do you want to do today?"
First Fun Chapter - check!
Sorry it's a little short - I make ALL my first chapters short... xD
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